I Was Made For Loving You
by petals-to-fish
Summary: He was over the one-time shags and loveless relationships the town offered. He was happy with his life and content with his success but she was sharper than tequila, sweeter than wine, and had more of a kick than a shot of fireball. XxXBartender!James Uni-Student!Lily Muggle AUXxX


**Happy Birthday Ashley! I know you wanted dolphin trainer AU but I just couldn't get myself to write it, so this finicky sappy Bartender!James AU fest is all yours to be bitter about. I did make Lily an environmental dork to make it up to you. Enjoy Ireland. Meet a nice Irish bloke. Drink lots.**

 **xxx**

 **Petals**

* * *

"She just wants your number because she thinks you're fit as Hell."

The bar lights were low and casted a golden glow over Levins Pub. James Potter frowned deeply at one of his regulars, a preppy enthusiastic blond named Marlene McKinnon. She was wearing a glowing pink shirt, matching with the fourteen other girls crowded together in the tiny bar. They are celebrating the birthday of one of their friends, showering her in compliments and sloppy lap dances to the pop songs on the jukebox.

It was a pretty busy night for James and he mixed another drink for a brunette whose name escaped him even after she told it to him ten different times in the last hour. Although James would've liked a quiet Wednesday night, the birthday party was bringing him and his little pub money.

James passed the brunette her drink as he answered the sour-faced Marlene who seemed upset at his indifference at the thought of a girl showing curiosity in him.

"Every week you come up here with a new girl throwing herself at me, Marley, I'm not into any of them."

Marley took a shot and then said, "You're sure you aren't gay?"

James jeered at her jest just as a blonde with massive tits and curly-q hair leaned over the bar to smile her baby blue eyes in James' direction. It was the same blonde Marley had been pointing out to James since the entire party of twenty-something girls had entered the pub. She was dressed in the same pink shirt as Marley but had it tied up so her midriff was showing off a pink belly button ring. James wondered what fetish University girls had with matching colors.

"So," Blondie blinked her eyes greedily, "I want you to make me a drink."

James sighed but forced a smile as he grabbed a glass from the top shelf. Despite his annoyance with Marley's uncanny ability to find the most obnoxious girls to parade in front of him, these girls also helped pay his rent. The blonde (thinking she has struck gold at James' smile) leaned forward so her breasts were falling from her pink top. James' glasses fell down his long nose as he observed her over the thick brown rims.

"What do you want?" he asked the blonde.

"You, clearly." Marley coughed into her elbow.

The blond laughed spitefully and hit Marley before tittering, "Surprise me."

James half laughed and ruffled his black hair, "Ah, what do you want? I don't do surprises."

"Oh come on," she winked, "Make a drink that's like me."

As James grabbed various amounts of alcohol and punch, Marlene finally announced James' newest fan.

"James this is my friend Nat," Marlene nodded her head at the vapid blonde girl, "She's a bioengineering major and volunteers on Saturdays at the animal shelter."

Whenever Marlene introduced James to one of her 'perfect' single friends, she already compiled a list of their accomplishments like they're competing on The Bachelor. James perceived Marlene over his glasses as he mixed Nat's drink. Marlene never seemed to find James' bothered looks nasty, it only seemed to make her try harder to find him the perfect girlfriend.

As James poured the coconut rum into the blue colored sprite, he recalled the time over a year ago when he'd first met the spry Marlene when she and her friend got lost during a day trip into town looking for food. Marlene had burst into the pub like she owned the place and demanded James tell her where she and her friend could get a burger. James had been so bemused by Marlene's sharp tongue and love for food he'd invited her back to the pub later that night for a free drink once she found her burger place.

Fast-forward and she was still bewildering James a year later—only now by her attempt at match-making ever since she declared James a 'lonely bachelor with no friends'.

"Pleasure Nat," James passed the finished blue mixed drink to the blonde.

"It's the color of my eyes!" Nat went bonkers over his creation, "Oh, It's perfect!"

"It always is." James reacted idly, "Anything else?"

"Your number?" the blonde took a sip of her drink.

"Ah—" James shrugged and shot Marlene an frustrated look, "I don't—"

Marlene, who had long since started becoming exasperated with his deliberate disinterest in her friends said, "He doesn't give out his number."

Nat (who had apparently come prepared under Marley's clever planning) pulled a scrap of paper from her pocket. James was traumatized as Nat swiped a pen from a girl paying her tab and wrote down her number on the paper before sliding it across the bar to James with a smirk. James smiled uneasily at Nat and took the paper. He awkwardly tucked the paper into his trousers and as he turned he made sure to send a frustrated glance at Marlene who looked positively jazzed he'd even taken the number. Nat winked once more before going over to giggle with her gaggle of friends.

Out of all the girls in the pub currently, Marlene had tried to hook James up with at least five of them. James recognized them as they paid their tabs. One of them even asked about Sirius and James cringed.

When James' best mate Sirius had gotten wind of Marley's game, he'd complained that James would go out with the first pretty girl Marlene shoved his way. So far, Sirius had been totally and completely wrong. In fact, Sirius had more success with Marlene's picks than James had. James recognized more than one pretty face that had woken up in the arms of James' flat mate.

Marlene's finds were impeccable: business girls, girls who traveled the world saving orphaned children, and girls who were accomplished in all aspects of their trade. The problem wasn't the girls Marlene picked; they were all smart and seemed like nice girls. The problem was that James at heart was a hopeless romantic and always expected to fall for a girl in the classic way.

A heart beating too fast.

A spark when their hands touched.

Something _other_ than a bubbly blonde (currently shooting him a dejected look) being the reason for their meeting.

James cleaned a glass with his shirt and hummed along to the words of the new song playing from the small jukebox at the front of the pub. He was determined to get through the night without Marley throwing him into the supply closet with Nat or any of the other girls. James didn't want a quick shag type of girl; he was tired of those days.

"I've given you every type of girl possible." Marley lamented, taking her shot of tequila and swallowing it like it was chocolate milk.

"Stop trying to hook me up with one of your mates," James rolled his eyes, taking her empty shot glass and refilling it, "I'm not some lost bloke without a girl, I'm _happy_."

"You're _lonely_." Marlene disagreed as her friends behind her started listening into the conversation.

" _Bloody Hell._ " James sighed, taking the swing of tequila for himself.

The liquid burned his throat as it went down. When he caught Marlene's eye afterwards he saw the scowl on her face wasn't playful, it was real. James pulled up a stool and sat down so he could get ready for the heart to heart about to come from the tipsy psychology major. She placed her hand on the bar and considered James moodily.

"Taking shots to ease the pain of your lonely life won't help forever."

"Where do you get this shite from Marley?" he asked the tiny blonde with gumption, "I can't be lonely working in a pub, I meet people everyday."

"Yeah." Marley crossed her arms over her chest, "You meet people but then you go home without those new people to your flat where you sit around with Sirius the Sarcastic."

James poured another shot and passed it to Marley, hoping to shut her up, "Sirius is my best friend and I'd rather be with him than anyone else."

"Yes well, unless you've been lying to me about your sexuality," Marlene countered, "You can't shag Sirius."

"Don't tell that to Sirius." James joked and Marlene grabbed a crumpled up napkin to throw at him.

It's like his mum had sent Marlene to him from the grave as some sick joke. All through the last days of Mia Potter's life, she was worried James would end up a grumpy old man with no one but Sirius (equally as tragic) to keep him company. Only three weeks after Mia's funeral, Marley showed up at Levins Bar looking for a burger shop and the rest of history—Marley replaced Mia as matchmaker.

Soon it was midnight and the birthday party was finally thinning. Most girls had returned to Levins University, preparing themselves for another grueling day of classes. As the girls filed out in small groups, a few ladies sent James smiles, but mostly the girls ignored him. The friends of Marlene were long used to the rejection of no texts or calls for a date. Marley was one of the last to leave, as she helped James wipe down the bar tops while they talked.

"Will you be back tomorrow night?" James asked Marley, "Sirius and Remus are getting off class early—"

Marlene cut him off quickly, "I've got a massive test on Friday." She had braided back her blond hair but it was falling from her braid as she helped him clean, "A few of us are having a study party."

"Is everything a 'party' to you and your friends?" James hooted and ducked when Marlene chucked a wet tablecloth in his direction shrewdly, "I was kidding Marley!"

"I hope you end up marrying a wretched girl with no goals in life but to eat cake on a stoop and call you a prick," Marlene threatened as James picked up some peanut shells from the bar tops.

"She sounds great."

" _James_."

"None of the girls you picked _actually_ want me," James snorted.

Marlene scoffed, "What wasn't sexual about the last ten girls I've paraded in front of you?"

James waved her comment away with a flick of his hand, "Marlene, _exactly_. At best those girls want a nice shag…couple of dates…not one of those girls would actually want to take home a bartender to their mummies and daddies."

Marlene looked at him with a new light; "So you're saying you won't give any of them a chance because they're too accomplished as compared to you?" she laughed glumly, "James, you have a fucking accounting degree!"

"And I work as a fucking bartender." James gestured around at the empty bar.

"You own this entire bar and make good money off of it." Marlene grunted, "What kind of girl doesn't want to take home a successful businessman?"

"One of those dolls you keep introducing me too." James argued back, "Marlene, none of them wants me for anything more than a quick shag, face it."

"Of course they all want a quick shag! That's the _point_!" Marlene threw her hands up in the air, "God you sound just like my friend Lil— _Woah_."

Marlene hesitated and turned her head to gawp at James. Her expression was mixed between revelation and pure glee. Assuming she had one of her 'marvelous' ideas, James ignored her and continued cleaning up shop. Normally, he had Remus Lupin to help him clean up but Remus was out sick so James was left to clean up alone with Marley chatting his ear off about how immoral his dating life was.

"So." Marley waited to talk to him again until he was turning off the bar lights and grabbing his keys from under the bar, "You want commitment."

"I don't want to get down on my knee the first date," James scoffed, "But I'd certainly like to not be worried about the girl leaving me after a few rounds of sex."

"You're such a girl." Marlene sniggered to herself as they both exited the pub into the cool night hair.

James locked the door to the pub and stuck his keys into his coat pocket before answering Marlene's offensive observation, "And _you're_ a nagging pain in my arse."

"Be nice to your customers."

"You literally could leave and never come back, I'd be fine."

"I make up at least fifty percent of your business Potter."

James laughed, "In your dreams McKinnon." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder to draw her in for a hug that she pushed away from like he had cooties, "Good luck on your test."

"Don't hug me when I'm mad at you." Marlene shook her finger at him as she stepped away from his embrace, "I'm going to have to mop up Nat's tears tomorrow when she cries about how the hot bartender didn't even text her."

"She'll live." James maintained.

"You're hopeless."

As James walked in the opposite direction as Marlene he considered that Mia Potter used to tell James the same thing. She'd said it when he was eleven and fell in love with the girl next door who passed James by for Sirius. She said it when he'd graduated Uni in two years with a accounting degree only to buy a rickety old shop downtown with his graduation money. She'd said it when James turned the rickety shop into a bar for the local Uni students to hang out at. She'd said it when James had howled after the doctors told him there was nothing they could do—no amounts of money could fix his mum's cancer.

The flat where he lived was quiet and dark when he opened the door. The only noise came from the ceiling fan, swirling cool air around the apartment. Sirius' bedroom door was closed which told James that his best mate wasn't home; Sirius only closed the door when he left. James' door was open and James flicked the light on. A bed took up most of the room, with a television and dresser taking up the rest of the space. James had haphazardly hung a few photos of him and his friends and family on the walls. The space didn't have the same sense of home as his childhood bedroom did.

James knew if he went into the living room he'd still see the boxes from home sitting in the living room, untouched. Sirius and James had an unspoken agreement not to touch those boxes and go through the memories in the boxes. Mia Potter's death had hit them both hard. Sirius might not be James' brother by blood but he'd lived with the Potter's long enough to consider Mia Potter his mother.

James considered his father (gone only a year before his mum) and how Fleamont Potter had told his son to do whatever he wished, only as long as he was happy. James was happy at the pub. James liked creating new drinks and he liked living in such a small town. Owning his own business meant he got to make his own hours and imagine more dreams.

So James imagined Marley was wrong, he wasn't lonely; he wasn't even close.

The next morning James went hiking at a local park with Sirius. It was his favorite time of the year and the leaves were starting to change. They only went for an hour, as James had to get to the pub to pay the landlord rent, fix a leaky pipe, and gather tips for his two servers. That was also supposed to be a quick trip, as the pub wasn't set to open until four that night. He told Sirius he'd be home in an hour at best. James was in the middle of balancing his checkbooks at a table by the window when the door to his pub opened and a girl walked through. James pushed his glasses up his nose in surprise when he spotted her.

He'd never seen her before; she was dressed in a green sweater dress and brown leggings. What struck him the most peculiar was the color of her hair, auburn with a hint of gold that looked like the leaves he'd seen hiking with Sirius. She pushed it out of her eyes as she looked around the pub with interest until her eyes fell on him and her mouth formed an oval. James stood up quickly and assessed the red tinge to her cheeks and the startling green to her eyes.

"Can I help you?" he asked, placing the pen he was holding down so he could have use of both hands.

The girl looked happy to see him, "Hey, are you open?" she asked bluntly.

"Not exactly," James felt his hand jump up to his black hair, ruffling the strands through his fingertips.

The girl grumbled, "Mind opening? I'm quite in need of a drink now."

Based on her flushed cheeks and irritated green eyes, James knew she wasn't lying. He cracked his knuckles before motioning to the closest barstool. She sat down with a huff and placed her purse on the edge of the counter before placing her chin in her hands. She seemed familiar with the bar, as her eyes didn't look around too much, her eyes stayed focused on him.

"What's your name?" James asked as he walked around to the back of the bar, "And what'll you have?"

"Lily." she said, "And I'll take a cider for now, thanks."

James nodded and reached under the bar to the fridge where he kept bottles of cider. The girl watched as he pulled a chilled bottle from the cooler before skillfully popping the top off just by hitting the glass against the bar. He slid the drink down to her with a half a smile. Lily stared at him with an astounded expression for a moment before grabbing the drink and taking a swing. She lifted the drink of her lips only to salute him.

"Many thanks."

James leaned against the counter, interested in the girl, "What's got you drinking before noon on a Thursday?"

Lily pulled the drink of her lips so she could answer, "My sister."

James pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and frowned, "She must be great."

The girl, Lily, choked out a laugh at his sarcasm and placed her cider down to look at him again. She kept her fingers wrapped around the rim while she looked him up and down for a moment. Interest fluttered through her pretty green eyes and her expression seemed to relax a little. James just smiled awkwardly at her, unsure of what to say or do since he didn't know much about her except her name.

Lily spun the bottle while she elaborated; "I went in for a dress fitting for my sister's wedding this morning only to find out she demoted me from the wedding party."

James raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Lily exhaled mirthlessly, "Apparently the company I spent bashing all week on local television for building on protected land was her fiancé's company." Lily used one of her hands to drag her fingers through her red hair, "I mean, I _knew_ he worked for an electronics company but I had no idea the bastard was the left hand for the CEO of Akon Electronic."

"Akon Electronic?" James muttered, "The Company that bought the old factory on Sawmill Road?"

"The one and same." Lily replied coolly, "Anyways, as a part of my project in Societal Debate, I started a protest against Akon's building plans and my sister's fiancé saw me on the news—"

"You were on the news for protesting a company?" James questioned, impressed.

Lily smiled pompously, "I convinced thirty other students to protest with me."

"You must be one Hell of a debater." James whistled in awe.

Lily flushed and looked down at her drink, " Anyways, long story short, I am no longer welcome in the wedding party."

"All because you wanted to protest them destroying an old factory?"

"They bought the property behind the old factory too."

"Yeah, I know the one." James said, "I go hiking there with my mates sometimes."

She sat up straighter and tilted her head at him with half a smile, "You hike?"

"Yeah?"

She shrugged her shoulders at his snubbed tone; "Forgive me for not assuming a barkeep liked the outdoors."

James smirked and took another step closer to her, "Don't be presumptuous. Barkeeps have a lot of free time on their hands."

"You spend an awful lot of your time here." Lily took another swing of her drink.

"How do you know I'm not just the bar owner?"

"Because I've come here before." She responded, throwing him for a curve.

"You have?"

Lily grinned victoriously when he looked so stunned at her statement. She placed her drink down entirely and folded her hands in front of her. Her cheeks were less pink and she looked like she was relaxed now that she'd had a drink. James liked the way her sweater curved off one of her shoulders, showing lightly freckled skin.

"I'm co-chair of the Women's Leadership Society." Lily enlightened, "Some of the girls come here a lot." She admitted kindly, "I was here last night for the birthday party."

"No you weren't." He countered quickly, "I would've seen you."

"Nat's breasts in your face might've been blocking your vision." Lily actually took pity when he sulked, "Yeah, you didn't look like you fancied her throwing herself at you."

"I don't fancy any of the girls paraded in front of me." James mumbled.

James stood up straight and stretched before grabbing a glass from above him in the cabinets. Lily seemed like a nice girl with normal expectations of life. She was also unconventionally pretty with large almond shaped eyes and a very round face that offset her pointed nose. James found himself wishing she'd been the one being exhibited, instead of Marlene's other friends.

"I told them not to waste their time." Lily countered cleverly of the girls in the bar last night, taking another swing of her cider.

James placed the cup he'd grabbed on the counter and started grabbing various tonics, prepared to make Lily a drink on the house, "Oh?" he remarked as he mixed various components together into a delicious blend.

"Of course not," Lily finished her cider before saying, "Anyone with eyes knows you and the bloke in the leather jacket are together."

James' hands slipped and he poured some of the gin on the bar. There was only one 'bloke' James knew who walked around all the time with a leather jacket. Lily thought James and Sirius were a couple. Lily wouldn't have been the first but James still found it surprising that she even noticed how close he was with Sirius. Lily noticed his slip and tossed her napkin his way so he could mop up his spill. He soaked up the alcohol and then observed her with composed eyes.

"You think I'm gay?"

"You're not?" at his slight shake of the head she reddened, "Well, this is awkward."

James laughed and she cracked an embarrassed smile as he passed her the finished drink with a wink, "But cheers for telling those girls I was, saved me from trouble I'm sure."

She laughed a little again and sipped the drink he'd made her only to pull back her lips in astonishment and look down at the drink in awe, "This is amazing!"

"Candied apple martini." He grinned, "I normally only add it to the menu in October."

"That's next month." Lily sighed, "Thank God."

"You like October?" he asked, coming around the bar so he could sit on the stool next to Lily.

The girl nodded as she took another sip of her martini, "Yes, it's my favorite time of year because the leaves change and it's closer to Christmas and—yeah I just love this time of year."

"I like autumn too," he confessed, "I always have."

"Twins." She commented gaily, tipping her glass at him.

Lily finished her second drink quickly before standing up and saluting him playfully. James found himself mesmerized by her calm and collected attitude. Even with two drinks in her, Lily only showed her alcohol tolerance by the red in her cheeks. James watched as she drew a few spare bills from her purse and handed them to James with a smile.

"I owe you one." She smiled, "Thanks for the laughs and drinks."

"No problem Lily." He smiled back, "See you next time."

She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled at the floor as she left for the street. James put his chin in his hand and stared at the door for a rather long time after Lily. It was rather pathetic of him but after only an hour, he reached into his pocket and drew out his phone. James waited for the page to his social media account to load. James hardly ever went on social media but now he was driven to find out more about the girl who'd entered his pub.

James found her under Marlene McKinnon's friends. It seemed the pair knew each other through the Woman's Leadership Society. Her full name was Lily Evans and she was a final year student with a degree in environment biotechnology. Her profile picture was of her in wellies in a kitchen holding a cupcake in one hand and her other hand in the air excitedly.

James instantly felt unfulfilled. Even though he'd graduated university early with aims at opening his own pub and accomplishing the dream with flying colors, he still wondered how his life could possibly be topped. Somehow, this girl who'd wandered into his pub in the middle of the day on Thursday felt like the cherry on top of a cake.

 _She was so cool_.

When Marlene came back to the pub alone two days later to play cards with the boys James bucked up and mentioned Lily Evans. Marlene was sitting at a table with Sirius and one of James' servers named Peter. They were in the midst of a harrowing game of poker and Peter was winning. James slid into a chair next to Marlene.

"How ya doing Marley?" he asked playfully earning an annoyed look from the blonde.

"Peter's cheating."

"I never cheat." Peter exclaimed, pudgy hand shaking at the blond terribly, "I swear to God, McKinnon you are the cheater—"

"Play your cards Wormtail." Sirius coolly told Peter, not wanting an argument ruining his evening.

As Peter played his card James blurted out what he'd been holding back, "I met one of your friends from school the other day Marley."

Marlene absentmindedly played her card next, "Who?"

"Lily Evans."

"Pause the game." Marlene commanded, placing her cards face down on the table so she could turn in her seat to stare at James excitedly, "You. Met. Lily?"

James was taken aback by her excitement, "Er, yeah?"

"Oh my God." Marley looked like she was going to combust, "What'd you think? I can get you her number."

"Woah, Marley," James laughed holding up his hands to slow the girl down, "What the Hell?"

"I was going to introduce you to her next week!" she passed a glance at Sirius who was annoyed that the game had stopped, "How'd you meet her?"

"She came in on Thursday morning looking for a drink." James said.

"What'd you think?" Marlene repeated, "She's pretty, isn't she? She's not a business major but she works with the environmental business and she's top of her major. Like I said, I can get you her number I really think the pair of you could hit it off because—"

"Slow down Marley." Sirius muttered, placing his cards down too, "You act like they're soul mates."

Marley raised her eyebrows at Sirius; "I honestly can't believe I didn't think to introduce the two of them sooner." She seemed particularly jazzed at the thought of them already meeting, "They're both romantically hopeless, they both like the outdoors, and they both get off at arguing with me."

"Everybody likes arguing with you." Sirius wrinkled his nose at Marley, "You're just so disagreeable."

"Hah." Marley's face remained impassive at Sirius' jest before considering James again, "Want her number?"

"I dunno…" but it was too late, Marlene had grabbed James' phone from his front pocket and typed in the redheads contact information.

James spent three days flipping through to her name in his contacts, wondering if he ought to text her. Just as he was finally getting the balls to actually text her, Lily Evans walked right through his doorway on Wednesday at lunchtime with a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and a smile that made the world around James lighten. She wore leggings again but this time she had on a large long sleeve shirt that was decorated with a stag. Her shoes were muddy from a trek James was certain he'd hear about if he asked.

"Lily," he couldn't hide the happiness in his tone at seeing her again.

He was at the bar going through ordering forms, deciding what to order for next month's stock. Lily slid into the barstool closest to him and placed her sandwich on the counter. She lifted a book bag off her shoulder and placed it on the stool beside her.

"I hope you don't mind me barging in," she told him, "I was at the sandwich shop across the road and noticed you open the door while I was waiting for a sandwich."

"I don't mind." James leaned against the counter, "What can I get you?"

Lily beamed, "Mind if I request another candy apple martini? I've been dreaming about one since last week."

"Of course."

"Thanks James."

He didn't bother asking Lily how she found out his name since they didn't wear nametags.

He got to work right away and even with Lily's eyes trained on his every movement, he was able to produce a perfect candied apple martini with a sugar rim. While he was preparing the drink Lily had pulled his books towards her and was looking at all the things he was ordering. Despite being very into herself, she also seemed nosy about the world around her. James placed the glass in front of her and she took it thankfully, her green eyes the same miraculous green as the martini itself.

"On the house." He told her.

She finished taking a sip before denying his request, "At least take half my sandwich in payment."

James looked down at her sandwich in the wax paper. It looked to be artisan bread with turkey, spinach, and cheese. James knew exactly which shop it had come from and took her offer up happily as they had the best lunch in town. Lily pulled a book from her bag and began reading as James munched on his half of the sandwich. James eyed the back of the book and saw it was environmental debate.

"Still fighting the electric company?" he asked after swallowing a bite of bread.

Lily pulled the book down halfway and nodded her head, "My sister can kick me out of her bridal party but she can't stop me from trying to protect the nature preserve behind the factory."

"Well, what do you propose?" James asked her, "They are a business and need to expand with the growing town. What is the electric company trying to do?"

"Demolish the old factory and build an giant office building behind it, cutting into part of the nature preserve." Lily replied simply, "The CEO thinks the old factory is useless but if they just gut it and use the inside for local official offices _and_ a electric supply point then it can serve dual purposes."

"That's quite the argument." James considered, "Why don't they want to use the old factory?"

Lily rolled her eyes, "Because it's not modern and they want to build some fancy office with two towers and golden fountains—"

"Sounds excessive."

"The human race is excessive." Lily commented sourly before blushing when James sniggered at her, "God, I'm sorry. I'm such a pessimist sometimes."

"Wanting to save an old factory to preserve this old towns charm is pretty cool." James replied slyly earning a smile from Lily.

"You think?" she seemed hopeful.

"Yeah," James nodded, "Most people are more concerned with getting out of this town—not trying to save it."

Lily put her elbows on the bar counter and stared at him closely for a few seconds before observing, "You didn't leave this town."

"Nah," he shrugged, "I like small towns."

Lily only hummed a soft nonsensical reply.

James became accustomed to Wednesdays with Lily. She'd bring him a sandwich from their favorite shop and he'd offer her a drink. Soon, she was joining Marlene's team during poker nights at the pub. James watched as Lily steadily won the hearts of all his regulars and Sirius Black himself. One night when they came home from the pub after laughing with Lily and Marlene over cat videos online all night Sirius even admitted he liked Lily.

"She's like Marlene." Sirius said as they got ready for bed, "No drama with her, just laughs."

Just because Sirius didn't see the drama in Lily's life, didn't mean it didn't exist. James learned that Lily had a hard time living with her sister. As the wedding loomed closer it seemed Lily's stress levels only increased. At one point she placed a twenty on James' counter without a word and went back behind the bar to get herself a drink. James followed her to the floor behind the bar where they shared a bottle of wine by passing it back and forth.

"She's gone completely bonkers." Lily whined to James over a bottle of wine, "I mean, she found out I'd been spending so much time here and she called me a drunk in front of her fiancé!"

James patted her back solemnly, "If you're a drunk then I'm pathetic."

She sent him a pathetic grin. Her hair was falling into her eyes and James had to resist the urge to push the strands away from her beautiful eyes, "She also said I'm a hippie wanna-be when I mentioned wanting to open a sustainable bakery here in town."

James had no idea what a sustainable bakery was but he had no doubt that the fiery spirited woman in front of him could do whatever she set her mind too. She looked so self defeated at everything her sister had said to her during their argument that James decided to offer a bit of advice.

"You know my own mum told me I was an idiot for wanting to own my own pub?" he asked her and she shook her head, wiping away a tear, "Well it's true. My own mum told me I was hopeless and should do something more conventional with my accounting degree. I don't regret using most of my savings to buy and create this place—it was my dream—and I think if my mum could see it now she'd be proud of what I did."

Lily smiled just for James, her face lightening up in wonderment at his admission. In that second, the entire pub seemed to glow under her contentment and James was suddenly stone cold sober. Then, without even a warning, she replaced the wine bottle on her mouth with his lips. She tried to pull away as quickly as she aimed to kiss but he got to his knees, using both his hands to glue her lips to his. She pushed away the bottle in her left hand so she could wrap her fingers in his hair sensually when he licked the remaining moscato from her lower lip. James lowered his hands to her waist; guiding her so that they both were standing, only so he could push her against the bar top to thoroughly press his body against hers. She was wearing an oversized pink sweater that felt soft against James hands as he traced her sides.

James didn't care that it was noon on a Wednesday and passerby could open his pub door at any second, not with Lily's teeth grazing his lips and one of her legs wrapped around his torso. James' lips left hers and she looked satisfied as he dragged his teeth across her jaw until he settled with kissing her neck tenderly. Her fingernails dug into his scalp and her leg tightened around him the moment he nipped her spiritedly.

She was sharper than tequila, sweeter than wine, and had more of a kick than a shot of fireball.

"Let's get out of here." He crooned against her skin.

"Out of where?" Lily mumbled hazily as he used his hands to push her leg down from where it was hooked around his waist.

He gave her chaste kiss, motioning to the pub door with one hand, "Out of this pub."

Lily stood her ground when he tried to yank her forward, totally set on taking her back to his place. She was a stature of defiance when he frowned deeply at her stony posture.

"I don't want this to happen to us." She blurted rapidly.

"What?" he insisted.

"Us." She claimed, "I don't want us to get carried away with whatever this is."

" _You_ kissed _me_."

He let go of her hand and both their hands dropped to their respective owners sides dramatically. Lily wrapped her arms around herself and danced in once spot, her green eyes fluttering to the wine on the floor where she'd left it. Then her eyes shot back up to him and all he saw in them was wholesome admiration. She took a step and he watched as she carefully brushed her hand against his cheek.

"I—I don't know what we should _do_." She confessed, "I like you a lot, I do. But James, I want more out of a relationship than a few shags."

James recalled saying a similar thing to Marlene McKinnon only a month and a half before. James recalled wondering if Marlene would ever find him a girl in this town who shared the same hopes, fears, and revelations. Marlene hadn't even looked at Lily Evans as being possible for James Potter and James knew now why Marley had been so astounded in the fact that the pair would've been perfect together…it's because they were the same. They were different in passions and skillsets but deep down they had the same fears and goals and ambitions.

He fully believed fate had brought along Lily to his pub that day…not Marlene…not his mother's ghost…just fate.

She took a deep breath and was still babbling nervously, "So just let me know if that's what you want because it's not what I want—I mean I do want to—I mean—you're _really_ fit. It's just I also want to be smart. Not that _you_ aren't smart. God knows I'd kill for you to even see me more than the girl who bothers you on Wednesdays. I mean Sirius said I had a shot but you're also really cool and I'm kind of a nerd. Anyways, you're looking at me like I'm an idiot so I'll just go-"

James brushed his thumb along her jaw and she clamped her mouth shut in revelation from his intimate touch, "Please don't go." He pressed his lips to hers once more and she purred into his mouth before pulling away from him with a pout.

"Did you hear a word that I said?" she questioned.

James brushed his nose against her nose, "I managed to understand a few of them."

Her brows knit together in worry, "You did?" she asked doubtfully.

"I feel the exact same way." He leaned his forehead against hers, "About you, about this town, about everything."

Her shoulders relaxed and she bit her lip as their eyes met, "So you _want_ to be my boyfriend?" she seemed suspicious, "Even though you know my sister will probably hate you, Marlene will say _'I told you so'_ until we die, and I'm a drunk hippie?"

"I want you, as long as you want me."

James didn't know how to tell her that all those things seemed inconsequential to everything. James didn't know how to tell her that in just a month and a half he'd fallen in love with her. James didn't know how to tell her anything without sounding as equally passionate and stupid as it sounded in his head, so he just kissed her. She melted into his kisses, brought to belief by his sweet nothings.

He kept kissing her, even as they walked from the pub to his flat. The cool air couldn't cool them down because they were both on fire with love. The tiny apartment's cardboard boxes caught Lily's eye as they entered the flat with his lips pressed to her neck. They were so commonplace to James he didn't think that she would find anything odd in them.

"Did you just move in?" she asked with a half a laugh as he closed the door behind them and caught her by the waist.

"It's just stuff my mum left us." He murmured.

He was worried less about the boxes and more about the fact that her pink sweater was hanging off her left shoulder. Sirius' door was shut, which mean he was gone. As James followed Lily deeper into the apartment he watched as she read the labels on the sides of the boxes. Her fingers traced the letters of his name on one box and for some reason that sent a shiver up his spine. He reattached his lips to her neck from behind and she leaned into his touch.

"Are most barkeepers this lazy to unpack?" she asked, spinning to show her smile, bright against her face.

"Just this one." He replied, "As my girlfriend you are obligated to like me even if I have the inability to face my childhood memories."

"We're quite the melodramatic pair aren't we?"

She laughed again and this time he caught the laugh with his lips, stepping them backwards until they were through the open door of his bedroom and even further until they fell against his mattress. He only stopped kissing her when she lifted her pink sweater from her shoulders, allowing him to shower her entire body with affection. Even though James was content kissing every meter of her creamy skin Lily whimpered as their bodies slid against each other and the riot in James' head was only growing when her legs distractedly wrapped around him.

James reminded himself that it's what they both wanted, needed, and lusted for. Lily was in no mood to slow down as he slid his trousers down his hips as he continued kissing her. Her body was grating up against his, eager for the guaranteed release. Even in the midst of the fervor, James couldn't help but marvel at Lily. He marveled at the way her auburn hair caught the dimming light from the window and turned into fire. He liked the way her skin seemed to glimmer from their dance. She still tasted like the moscato they'd been drinking and she felt like nothing he'd ever touched. They were both covered in self-doubt and smug pride that radiated in their efforts to love each other.

She was still the only thing that made sense to James and in the months that followed it only seemed appropriate for her to move in with him after she spent three hours arguing with her sister about loving him. Hopeless romantics, they were both exactly what the other needed. Dreamers at heart, they encouraged and drove each other towards their passions.

The bar lights were low and casted a golden glow over Levins Pub. James Potter smiled at one of his regulars, Lily Evans, who was sitting at a table with their friends. Lily was wearing a bright blue dress and they were all celebrating her birthday by showering her with gifts and cake. It was a pretty slow night for James's small pub but he preferred it slower so that he could kiss his girlfriend as often as possible and make her all the candied apple martinis she wanted.

* * *

 **So I've just had this in my head for a while and I needed to get it out of my head; hope you enjoyed. Please, leave me a review here or on tumblr!**

 **All my love,**

 **Petals**


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